The Sorcerer's Assassin
by CousinKitchen
Summary: A powerful sorcerer takes revenge on several empires for the death of his father only to have a mysterious ninja try the same on him.(A/U) S+S, T+E (I have revised chapters 1&2)
1. Revenge

Disclaimer: I don't own CCS or it's characters, just the situation surrounding them.

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CousinKitchen: Yes, we're doing this once more. I seem to get distracted so I don't think about time gaps and such. Entirely my fault and I apologize. I think I've fixed it. I hope anyway. 

Oh and by the way, there is a bonus. A NEW CHAPTER!!! But as I've warned you before, it will take a while for an update. You see, there is a thing called, taking more classes than there is time and that happens quite a bit in college. So I'm sorry, but please read anyway.

I know I'm not done with my other CCS fic, but I'll try to finish that one sometime in the next century. It's just that my schedule has been rather full and I can only do so much, this counts my imagination too. If you've read my other story New Exciting World, you'd know that I'm a pure S+S fan and E+T fan, so don't worry about how this one comes off, it will end nice. Enjoy!

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The Sorcerer's Assassin

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Chapter One:

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Revenge

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Emperor Zuni looked out on the darkened moor where storm clouds gathered on the horizon. Sweat soaked his brow. Reports of the coming storm worried him. An oracle had once prophesized that such an occurrence in the desert land would signal the end of his reign, his death.

Howls echoed through the city surrounding the emperor's palace. Every citizen remained awake in their bed, anticipating the apocalypse heading towards them. It wasn't long till the whole city shook with the rumblings of approaching monsters.

Flame engulfed towers and homes. Ten fiery serpents raided closed stores and houses eating whatever meat they could find, whether it be man, child, or woman.

For each person that managed to escape, a wolf was there to take them down and ripe out their throats. A bloody rain filled the streets of the once proud empire. This was one war the emperor could not fight; yet it was the first and last one that he would ever witness, and he knew that it had yet to end.

Though the Emperor knew what was to happen, he still followed the human instinct to try to stay alive as long as possible. He watched a short while from the gates of the castle while his empire burned, but soon turned and ran as fast as his heavy body would allow him and ordered his guards to blockade the palace doors.

Within minutes, the doors burst open and killed the guards protecting it. The clouds of dust from the shattered doors revealed angry, glowing eyes. It was the five large wolves followed by ten furious dragons that had been attacking his empire. Each stared down Zuni seemingly ready to lunge at him to tear him apart limb by limb, but suddenly they parted to allow passage to a tall shadowy figure.

The tall figure came slowly into the dimly lit room. He donned a dark green Chinese style tunic over a loose black shirt and pants. He held his head up high and with his hands behind his back. His dark brown hair was an unruly mess and furious, amber eyes reflected in the candlelight, giving him a dark and feral countenance.

"Li...Xiao Lang…" The emperor stuttered while backing away from the dangerous man.

"Emperor Zuni, it's been a long time…" The young man of about 25 years of age growled menacingly.

Zuni paled visibly, his body was shaking uncontrollably. "You have come to kill me…"

"Is it that obvious?" Xiao Lang smirked at the elder man's apprehension.

"Please, I beg you to spare me." The large emperor fell to his knees and began to pull at the angry young man's garments.

"You…beg me? Please, don't insult me!" Xiao Lang kicked the chubby emperor away from his feet and held a hand out in front of him, pointing his outstretched palm at his head. "Your kingdom is now in flames, all your people are dead, you've nothing to live for. Besides, I'm showing you the same mercy that you showed my kingdom when you took it over after my father's reign."

Zuni's eyes widened in horror as a flame began to gather in the palm of the young man's hand. "You can have your lands back if that's what you want…please." The sweat rolled down the huge emperor's double chin as he groveled for his life, but it was too late, he was practically at death's door. "Please, I beg you, what would your mother say to this hostility?"

Zuni sighed a breath of relief when the man lowered his hand, extinguishing the fire. Xiao Lang let a smirk play across his lips as he watched the desperate man relax, thinking that he had hit a nerve. "What would my mother say? Alright…I'll let you know what my mother thinks about this…mother?"

The emperor noticed that the young sorcerer had made a gesture to something behind him. His eyes searched behind the his aggressor and rested on a growling white wolf approaching him. "You mean to tell me?"

"The dragons are the elders of my clan, and the wolves are my sisters and mother. They asked for more power to aid me and I gave it to them." Xiao Lang smirked sadistically. "Not that it matters to you since you are about to die…"

The young man raised his hand again, igniting the flame once more. "It is now time for you to pay for your sins. I'll see you in Hell!" He was about to shoot the flame in the shaking man's direction when an arrow shot passed his head, grazing his cheek, and imbedding itself in the floor just above the quaking emperor's hand.

"Li Syaoran! I'll not let you destroy another innocent life!"

Xiao Lang turned to face the intruder only to find no one behind him. The dragons and wolves too were as confused as he. They sensed someone, but could not find them. "Who dares to intrude on my business?"

"I do!" A flash of lightening revealed a tall slender ninja standing just behind the sorcerer, glaring at him with furious green eyes.

"Oh?" Xiao Lang turned to face his new opponent, giving the emperor ample time to make a run for his life. "If you'll excuse one moment. I'll attend to you next."

Xiao Lang turned back around, took careful aim and threw a large ball of fire at the retreating form. The victim died only seconds later, totally engulfed in the magical flame. All that remained of Emperor Zuni now was a pile of Ash.

"Now where were we?" The sorcerer turned back to his new target. A satisfied smile came to his lips after seeing the shock on the ninja's face.

"You're sick, Li Syaoran." His opponent growled.

"Oh…my Japanese name." The sorcerer eyed the ninja. "It is true that I have 'friends' all over the world." He chuckled in amusement.

"Hardly…I've come to put a stop to your reign of blood, sorcerer!" The ninja pulled out a short, 

light pink staff and sank into a fighting position.

The young man stifled a yawn and talked to the ninja as if they were a small harmless child. "I really don't have time for this, you really don't know who you're dealing with. I'll only let you off this once, but that's all. I don't like to kill more than I have to…"

"Shut up!" The ninja yelled in impatience as they stepped forward. "I am tired of you and your plagues on these empires and kingdoms. You have shed too much blood and I, of the Kinomoto Empire, will put a stop to all of this."

Xiao Lang's eyes went wide with surprise. "Kinomoto? I attacked that Empire ten years ago…"

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Flash back of 10 years ago…

"Your excellency, the wolves have entered the city!" A nervous soldier announced

"Any sight of the dragons or their master?" A tall commanding man with penetrating eyes looked over the soldier critically, surveying all his wounds that he had acquired to bring the message.

"None sir!"

The soldier was about to leave to get his wounds attended to but was stopped midstride.

"Soldier?" The Emperor walked towards the young man and stopped when he noticed the wide-eyed expression playing across his features.

The soldiers eyes gradually turned a blood red as all the veins in his body became visible and to pulse faster and faster till blood poured out from his ears. He screamed in pure agony only to cause more blood to come out of his mouth. After five minutes of the pained screaming and choking, the young soldier crumbled to the ground.

"You're here." Fujitaka looked sadly at the poor soul in front of him. "Where are the dragons and how come my armies didn't hinder you?" The older man didn't bother to turn around to face the dark presence behind him.

"I don't need my dragons to take on such a simple task." The shadow hissed. "And as for your armies…you should know that even numerous amounts of men can't possibly take on some one as powerful as me."

The tall emperor bowed his head. "I see. Your name truly underrates you, little wolf. But your arrogance will be your downfall. Can't you remember what happened to your father will happen to you? You must listen to me..."

"Please…" The angry sorcerer began to circle around the emperor. "I don't need to hear your lectures. You, Kinomoto Fujitaka, are the one going to die." Xiao Lang stopped in front of the shaking man with a smile on his lips.

The Emperor lifted his face to look at the one threat to his vast Empire in the eyes. "I won't let you destroy all that I have worked for. You of all people must remember who I am and what I can do…"

Xiao Lang laughed. "Of course I know I'm your descendant, Clow Reed. I would leave you alone, but you're too much of a threat to leave alone."

"Even if you do kill me now, descendant," Fujitaka's eyes narrowed as he shouted is last words. "My children will avenge my pointless death." A pillar of flame suddenly formed below the fifteen-year-old sorcerer and swallowed his body whole. Fujitaka surveyed the room to make sure that the sorcerer didn't make any sudden escape.

The pillar of flame suddenly broke revealing a very angry Xiao Lang. "That's if I let any of you live! And believe me, after that little stunt, you and all your family will DIE!" the whole palace shook, causing all the walls to crack and shatter like fragile glass. After the dust cleared, there was only one person left standing with a satisfied smile spread across his face.

…End Flashback

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"Yes…you killed my family with no mercy. And nine years ago my brother came to kill you out of revenge but you unfortunately won that fight. My brother is now dead and you must pay for his blood and that of my parents…" The ninja's jade green eyes glared at the man across the room in pure hatred. "_I will get him. I was too weak before, but now I have a new weapon on my side that I have been practicing with for the past nine years. You will die Li Syaoran._"

"You look angry." Xiao Lang showed no more expression, his eyes grew cold. "I will fight you."

The ninja readied their self. "But…"

"So you knew there was a catch…very good." The sorcerer's eyes narrowed. "You must defeat my family first." With that Xiao Lang disappeared, leaving the ninja alone with the snapping dragons and wolves.

"Such an easy task…" Shouted the ninja so that the sorcerer could hear. The ninja held the staff in out and began to meditate, causing the staff to glow a furious pink and just as the ravaging group was about to attack… "_Change Card…change them back to their former selves…_" A bright light filled the room and dimmed as quickly as it shone, leaving the room filled with ten unconscious elderly men, and five women, in the same state, wearing nothing.

The ninja laughed with embarrassment and began to meditate again. "_For their sake I'll make two more moves. Create Card…create some cloths for these unfortunate souls to wear. And Erase Card…wipe away their memories of the travesties that they committed under Li Syaoran's command._" Once more a bright light engulfed the palace leaving as quickly as it came. The people on the floor were still unconscious, but clothed. "It looks like I win…"

"You have the cards…" The sorcerer hissed angrily. "How the hell do you have the cards?!"

The ninja put the staff away and bowed to her opponent. "It doesn't matter, just stop wasting my time with talking and fight me the old fashioned way. With no magic or weapons."

Xiao Lang nodded with fury dancing in his eyes and took up a fighting stance. "I won't go easy on you, card master."

"Are you so sure that I'm this…card master?" The ninja asked as they leaped forward with a punch, just narrowly missing the almost surprised sorcerer.

"Positive, I can even tell you what cards you used…" Xiao Lang countered with a knee to the stomach and prepared to knock the ninja downwards, but proved to slow. The ninja had moved and did a roll away and got back to their feet.

"Humor me, please." The ninja tried to do a flying kick, but was also too slow and got punched across the jaw.

"Change to change them back, Create to give them cloths, and Erase to erase their memories of their murders." He went in for another punch, but was countered and received a punch in the stomach.

"You sensed them?"

The young man nodded and started to do a spin kick towards the ninja's head, but the ninja evaded it and grabbed his leg throwing him across the room.

Xiao Lang got up with a small smile across his lips. "You're a formidable opponent."

"Thank you." The ninja did an exaggerated bow.

"I would like to know who my opponent is."

"That I can not do for you, but lets up the stakes a bit." The ninja again pulled out the light pink staff, but this time got ready to fight again.

"Oh, weapons." The sorcerer pulled a charm off from around his neck and began to chant words that were barely audible. The charm in his hand stretched and extended itself to form a Chinese style sword. "I never leave my home without the clan sword. This will be the first time I get to use it on fair terms in real combat."

The ninja gave a mischievous smile. "_Who said anything about a fair fight, Li._"

The fight once more resumed with staff and sword clashing. The ninja countered each of Xiao Lang's moves perfectly. "So, using your cards again? Isn't that cheating?"

The ninja's eyes widened in shock. "_Darn it, I forgot he could sense when I use them._"

"The Fight Card…nice choice. While you're at it use the Sword Card to make your staff a sword and the Twin or Mirror Card to mimic my moves perfectly…"

"Are you trying to aid me?" The ninja stopped fighting and stood in confusion at what the man was telling them.

"No, only to distract you long enough to do this." Xiao Lang pulled out a slip of paper and chanted a spell as he threw it at the ninja's head.

The mask caught fire and the ninja tried to put it out but it was no use, the mask had to go. The mask was quickly disposed of, to reveal a very feminine face, and long auburn hair pulled up into a braided bun.

"A woman?!" the young sorcerer was shocked beyond belief. A mere woman had lasted this long against him. "A woman was a match…for me?"

The green-eyed woman turned to face him with fire flashing in her eyes. "Not just any woman!" She strode up to him and punched the shocked man across the face as hard as she could. "My name is Kinomoto Sakura, sister of Kinomoto Touya, daughter of Kinomoto Nadeshiko, and daughter to Fujitaka, the Emperor of the Kinomoto Empire."

The sorcerer quickly gained back his composure, but still kept his eyes trained on the young woman. "So you are the lone heiress to the Kinomoto Empire? I guess that would mean that I have to kill you, Ying Fa."

"You won't lay one finger on me, you son of a…"

"Uh, uh, uh…watch your language, you're a lady."

"Stop taunting me!" Sakura's staff began to glow a furious pink as her aurora flamed in pure anger and hatred towards her patronizer. "_Shadow Card…Hide me in the shadows. Shot Card…lend me your power to kill Li Syaoran._"

Xiao Lang noticed the young girl fade into the shadows and sensed the cards that she used. "Go ahead and try it, Kinomoto. It won't work against me."

Several shots from the dark headed straight at Xiao Lang, but he blocked each and every one with his sword. Each shot in turn was deflected right back at it's source. "_Shield Card…shield me from my deflected shots_."

"Good thinking, Kinomoto." An evil smirk played across the demented sorcerer's lips. "You know, your stubbornness intrigues me. I won't kill you…just yet."

This response angered Sakura. "Shut up murderer!" She tried once again to use the Shot Card at the laughing man, but failed just the same as before.

"It's funny…" The sorcerer's amber eyes fell on Sakura's form in the shadows and stared intensely at her. "You call me a murderer when in fact your father sealed the fate of my father. If anyone should be called a murderer, it should be the traitorous house of Kinomoto."

Xiao Lang once again took out a small rectangular paper and threw it at Sakura. It landed on her arm and brought her out of the shadows.

"What did you do?" Sakura kept trying to go back, but there seemed to be a barrier between her and her cards. She tried to pry of the source of the barrier but it wouldn't come off.

"Having troubles? I guess now you have to fight me with your true skills." A taunting smirk spread across the sorcerer's face.

"Fine." Sakura brought her staff in front of her, and then eased into a fighting stance. "You ready?"

The sorcerer nodded and once again the fight ensued. Each letting their anger guide them, getting in equal hits. Xiao Lang was beginning to falter and let Sakura get past his barriers once to often. Sakura was also tiring, but let her hatred for the monster in front of her drive her. She got in quite a few hits, but not without penalties. Her braid had come loose from its bun and was often getting in her way, giving the sorcerer an advantage.

Xiao Lang decided that he had had enough. Sakura was doing a turn to hit him and as the ninja came around, Xiao Lang wanted to show off what he could have done so easily to her neck had he been serious, so he cut her braid with one clean swipe and brought his sword to her neck before she had time to block.

Sakura could not believe it. She was defeated. She dropped her staff and prepared herself for her death. She stared straight into his eyes. "Kill me, I lost."

It was so tempting to him. This woman had caused him enough trouble and if he killed her now, he could have the cards, but something inside of him was stopping his hand from making the fatal blow. Her emerald eyes were full of defiance, strength, and…sadness.

"No."

Sakura's eyes went wide with shock. "No?"

"You heard me…" Xiao Lang took his blade from her throat and put it away as he turned around to leave. "You're free to go." With a snap of his fingers, the hindering charm on Sakura's shoulder fell off.

"Wait!" She shouted out to the retreating form as he waved his hand to make his family on the floor disappear.

"Don't worry, I need them still, I just sent them home." The young man growled in frustration.

"No, that's not what I meant." The young woman shouted. "You do know that if you let me live, I will come after you again."

"And I'll be happy to face you again." He was just about to leave through the large entrance of the palace when a large barrier suddenly appeared before him.

"I will not let you leave." Sakura stated defiantly.

"Please. You don't have enough strength to fight." The sorcerer was about to break the barrier when a hand came to his and stopped him from any action.

"I must stop you, you don't understand." Xiao Lang looked at her with confusion written on his face. "I will not let you kill again."

Surprisingly, Xiao Lang didn't mind her hand on his, but he tried to tell himself that this girl was now his foe and he should kill her now before she got in the way again. "I won't."

Sakura drew back in surprise at the sorcerer's seriousness. "_Did I just hear right?_"

"Why so shocked? I can't very well kill anyone else if you keep getting in the way. I'll continue fighting you as many times as you wish and until we have a fair fight and I win, I will spare the lives of my next victims." The sorcerer finally broke the barrier and left the young ninja alone in the decimated palace.

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TBC..

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(A/N): So is it better? I hope so. I apologize for being to busy, but it can't be helped. Please review!!!!


	2. The Better Half

CousinKitchen: We already know that I don't on CCS and blah blah blah, all that good stuff. Just to make sure that I got things straight, Eriol and Syaoran are now both older than Sakura and Tomoyo. The ages are as follows:

Sakura: 20

Syaoran: 25

Tomoyo: 23

Eriol: 26

I really don't know if I've done a good job at matching the times and such. I tried hard to catch all the discrepancies, but you know how it is. I do hope you're able to follow along. Feel free to R&R!!!! Thanks!

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The Sorcerer's Assassin

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Chapter Two:

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The Better Half

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Dim starlight filtered in through the dank dungeon window. The blue haired man stared at chinks in the stone floor wondering when his days in imprisonment would end. He had been held prisoner for the past four months and his strength was starting to fail him. He was contemplating an escape when his cell door flew open.

"Well, if it isn't my cute little descendant, back from the crusades are we?" The blue-eyed young man mocked his captor.

"Shut up Hiiragizawa, I don't wish to hear it at the moment." The angry sorcerer spat at the weakened man. "Something happened to me, and I have the strangest feeling that somehow you helped with it."

"Me?" Eriol tried to look as innocent as he could. "How could I have been involved in someone trying to assassinate you?"

"What did you say?" Syaoran looked at him in angered suspicion.

"You heard perfectly well, my de-cen-dant." Eriol added a satisfied smirk, just before Syaoran punched him across the face.

"I don't want to hear anymore from you!" The sorcerer spat in Eriol's face and turned on his heel and started to leave, but turned around one last time. "I bet you think you've won. Think again, Hiiragizawa."

Eriol started to laugh after the furious Syaoran slammed the dungeon door shut. "Oh, but the fun has just begun..."

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"Tomoyo?" Sakura opened a door and walked into the dim welcoming light of a weak fire in a small cabin.

"Sakura is that you?" A dark haired woman with violet eyes stood up from her place in a rocking chair in front of the hearth.

Sakura, who was now wearing a simple pink Japanese style dress with short sleeves and a long slit that went to the knee, walked over to her standing friend and gave her a warm hug. "Who else would it be silly?"

Tomoyo chuckled as she was released from the embrace and sat back down. "I'm sorry, I'm just really jittery for some strange reason. Where did you go for so long anyway?"

Sakura smiled at her sightless friend and sighed, she remembered well how they met...

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Ten years ago...

"Sakura?" A tall Auburn haired man looked down a vast hallway at the small running form of his ten-year-old daughter. "Where are you off to in such a hurry?"

The young girl that had been running down the hallway stopped, turned, and smiled at her father. "Oh...mom just called for me. Do you think that she is finally feeling better?"

Fujitaka smiled sadly at his naive young daughter. "I am unsure, but you better not keep her waiting, you better hurry to her."

Sakura giggled and ran back down the hallway to give her father a tight hug than turned and left as quickly as she could.

As she made her way to the end of the hallway, she turned too sharply and ran into something or someone.

"Oof!" They both shouted at the exact same time. Sakura fell flat on her back on the hard marble floor as the other person watched on in amazement.

"Are you okay?" A timid voice asked the groaning Sakura who was still on the ground rubbing her back.

"I...I think so, I'm sorry that I hit you, I was excited and wasn't watching where I was going and I...." Sakura started off in a hurried explanation as she looked up at the person inquiring of her safety.

"It's all right my lady, I should have been the one watching where I was going. You may punish me as you like." A young woman of about thirteen, with long dark hair and violet eyes quickly got down on the floor and bowed her head in reverence.

Sakura looked at her surprised. "You don't have to do that. Please get up."

The violet-eyed girl looked up curiously and hesitantly did as Sakura asked. She looked down at the young girl as she tried to right herself. "Oh, here! Let me help you my lady!" She offered her hand and helped the girl up.

"Don't worry about anything." Sakura took her hand with a smile. After she was standing, she began to brush herself off. "Thanks for helping me up, and don't worry yourself about a thing...uh...what's your name?"

"Daidouji, my lady." The young woman gave a deep curtsy.

"No, your first name."

The dark-haired girl didn't lift her head and stiffened a bit in her curtsy. "My...my name is Tomoyo."

The little girl smiled with satisfaction and turned to head down the hallway once more. "All right Tomoyo! I will talk to you later! Keep smiling, it's a lovely day!"

Tomoyo head and smiled after the little girl and curtsied once more. "Yes my lady."

"Mother?" The ten-year-old Sakura poked her head in the door of a large spacious bedroom chamber. "You wanted to see me?"

A pale woman with long, dark hair in a white night gown smiled as she sat up in her bed. "Yes, my darling, please come here and give me a hug."

The little girl squealed and ran up to the bed. She carefully got on the bed and was soon enveloped in the loving embrace of her mother.

"Are you feeling better mother? You've been sick for an awfully long time."

Nadeshiko tried to give the best smile she could. "I know Sakura. But I called you here to just say that I love you very much and that I'm so blessed to have a daughter like you. I've already spoken to your brother and he has promised me that he will always take care of you no matter what."

"I don't understand mother, what's wrong?" Sakura sadly gazed up at her mother. "Are you still dying?"

Nadeshiko nodded sadly and cupped her young daughter's chin. "Just remember that I'll always be with you."

Sakura shook her hand away and looked angrily at her mother. "No! You can't leave us!"

"I'm sorry Sakura!" The pale woman hugged her stubborn daughter again. "Just remember that I love you! Now I want you to do something for me."

She pulled the little girl away to look in her puffy, teary eyes. "I want you to leave the palace tonight and visit you secret spot."

"My secret spot? you mean to tell me that you know...?"

"I've watched you from my window whenever I have had enough strength to do so. Just promise me that you'll go tonight."

The urgency in her mother's voice caused her to nod her head and hug her again. She wasn't sure why her mother was acting so strangely, but decided to go ahead and do as she asked anyway.

After she hugged her mother one last time she got off the bed and left the room. Nadeshiko watched as her daughter shut the door and started to cry. "I love both you and your brother. Always remember that. Both your father and I will miss you dearly. Goodbye..."

Sakura leaned on the closed door and slid down the door with tears flowing down her cheeks. She didn't want her mother to die, but she knew she could do nothing to stop it.

"Sakura? I take it that mother has spoken to you already." A soft masculine voice whispered.

The crying girl nodded without looking up. "I don't want her to leave big brother. Please! Make her stay!"

Touya shook his head as he bent down to give his sister a comforting hug. "I'm sorry Sakura. You know I don't have that power, especially at a time like this. I would most gladly try, but it won't do us any good. We just have to accept it..."

Sakura shoved he brother away with all her strength, causing him to fall backwards onto his back end. She glared hard at him. "NO! I WON'T ACCEPT IT!"

She didn't stay a second longer. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her. She didn't care if she bumped into anyone again. If she stumbled or fell, she would just get right back up and keep running. She ran through the halls, the palace gardens, and into the forest by the palace. As soon as she reached a old, large, moss-covered tree she collapsed at it's roots by a clear blue lake and cried. She cried the whole evening till she fell asleep until morning.

What she didn't know was that her brother had followed her, which she wouldn't know about till the next morning.

Sakura woke the next morning to a stale, musty smell. She looked around to see a dense fog surrounding the lake area. The tree she was leaning against no longer looked majestic and the lake no longer was clear. it was as if everything was covered in ash.

When she looked down at her self, she was wearing a dark blue cloak that was also covered with a deep gray. She looked over the large roots beside her to see her brother still asleep and cloakless. He too was covered with gray.

"_What is this stuff?"_ She wondered to herself as she dusted off the blue cloak and her, now dull yellow sundress.

She slowly got up and headed back to the castle, leaving her brother alone and still asleep. After a few minutes of walking the "fog" got worse and worse. She was soon tripping on twigs, stones, and roots. "_What happened last night_?"

After emerging from the woods, she saw nothing. Absolutely nothing of the palace gardens all that was there was blankets of blackened ash. When she looked up to see the majestic towers of the palace, she saw nothing. Just piles upon piles of rubble.

She just could not believe her eyes. She ran from the scorched gardens to get a view of the empire, only to see ruined rubble of buildings and houses. some of which were still burning.

Tears filled Sakura's eyes as she collapsed to the ground. "No." She cried in a weak voice, then screamed to the top of her lungs. "NO!"

"Uhh..." A weak voice came from behind her. Sakura turned to see the servant that she had bumped into the other day dragging herself along the ground.

"Tomoyo? Is that you?" Sakura walked over to the badly bruised and bleeding maiden and helped her to sit up against her lap. "Hold still and I'll attend to your wounds..."

"My lady? Can it truly be you? You survived the sorcerer's wrath?" Tomoyo's violet eyes stared blankly up at the young girl.

"Oh course it's me silly." Sakura ripped off a small piece of her dress and began to patch up the woman's wounds. "Don't you recognize me at all?"

"My lady, something happened and...well...I have seemed to have lost all sight. All I can see is pure blackness." Tears filled the maiden's eyes as she continued. "I remember the last thing I saw was your father talking to that evil sorcerer Li Syaoran, and the next thing I knew, I was covered in rubble..."

Sakura too began to cry, until she heard a twig snap behind her, she quickly turned, careful as to not drop Tomoyo, and was surprised to see the form of her devastated brother. "Big brother?"

Touya looked down at his sister at the mention of his name. "This is why..."

Sakura carefully laid Tomoyo back on the ground and stood up to walk over to her brother. "What do you mean 'this is why'?"

Touya's eyes went unfocused as he began to recall all that their mother had told him. "Mother told me yesterday that I was to follow you because something terrible was to visit our empire. She said that last night would be hers and fathers last night in this world..."

"What?" Sakura looked hard at her brother with tears gathering in her eyes. "How come she never told me?"

"Probably because you are too young to hear such things." Touya bent down to hug his sister tightly. "I promised her that I would always protect you, and I have failed to protect you from seeing these horrors. I will not fail again!" He hugged her tighter. "I will avenge us Sakura, I will protect you from this ever happening again! I promise to KILL that sorcerer!"

End Flashback...

*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*

"Sakura?" Sakura was called from her thoughts and looked at her confused friend. "Sakura? I asked you a question. Where have you been?"

The emerald-eyed woman looked down at her concerned friend and smiled. Though Tomoyo couldn't see, she gave one anyway. "I was just out for a little while that's all..."

Tomoyo raised an critical eyebrow. "A little while? You were gone for four days."

Sakura laughed nervously. "Yeah...that...sorry for worrying you so much it's just that, well, I had some things to take care of."

Tomoyo huffed and stood up once more. Though she had no sight, to Sakura felt as if the raven-haired woman was looking deep into her soul. She placed both hands on either side of Sakura's head. "Now look at me and tell me it was nothing."

Sakura grew nervous and tried to pull away, but she made a mistake of doing so. Her now shortened hear brushed against the woman's hand, causing a look of shock to appear on her stern face.

"Sakura? You...cut your hair?" She grabbed at the girls hair and felt to make sure that her assumption was right.

"Um...yeah....I thought that it would get in my way less so I...."

"But you are nobility. You should keep your hair long." Tomoyo tilted her head to the side. "I do not think that you cut it willingly. It's not like you to do something like this without consulting me first...wait...that vision that you had....and my dream...you listened to them didn't you."

Sakura, who had begun to twiddle her thumbs trying to search for a plausible excuse, stopped and looked straight into her friends worried face. "I...well..."

Tomoyo's eyes started to brim with tears as she sat down again. "I can't believe it. Like your foolish brother, you went to fight that sorcerer."

Sakura stamped her foot. "Touya was not foolish! He was brave and I should have gone with him!"

"To die?" Tears were now flowing freely down the violet-eyed woman's face. "Please don't say things like that. And please...if you really care about any of the survivors of you empire, you will not fight that evil sorcerer again."

"Too late..."

"What?" Tomoyo's head shot up. "What on earth do you mean?"

Sakura could not meet Tomoyo's eyes as she began to toe the floor with one of her feet. "Well...he said I was a worthy opponent...so you see...He let me go so he...well...could fight me again, when I got stronger."

Tomoyo's jaw dropped. "He what? The man that showed no mercy to the rest of your family let you live? Does he even know who you are?"

Sakura sighed. "Yes, unfortunately he forced me to reveal myself. He was much more powerful than I thought, but I was at least a formidable opponent with the Clow...uh...with the sword." When she noticed Tomoyo's face heat with rage, she new that she had blown it.

"Clow? You went to that crazy old man and got those cursed cards?"

Sakura flinched at the tone of Tomoyo's voice. "He's not exactly crazy, just a bit eccentric..."

"I don't care!" Tomoyo growled. "I don't want you messing with anymore magic! The Kinomoto empire does not need to lose their next empress due to some crazy ranting of an "eccentric" man!" Tomoyo began to cry even harder.

Sakura tried to give her a hug of comfort, but was pushed away. "I'm sorry Tomoyo, but I had to do it. It was my destiny..."

"DESTINY?" Tomoyo stood up in absolute anger. "You're saying that it was your destiny to fight such a wicked man? I should hardly think so. And since when did you believe in destiny?"

Sakura opened her mouth to speak, but found that she really didn't have anything to say in reply. Instead she turned on her heel and headed to her bedroom, where she slammed the door right behind her.

She quickly changed into a plain white night dress and hopped into bed. She thought that she could just forget everything that had just transpired between her and her friend, but could not. She felt bad because she knew the only reason why Tomoyo was acting the way she was due to the fact that she was worried about her.

"Touya. What should I do?" She mumbled to herself before peacefully drifting off to slumber.

*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*

Sakura's dream...

"Brother? Where are you going?" A eleven-year-old Sakura looked up at her tall brother.

Touya, who was dressed in all black, turned to hug his sister. "I'm sorry Sakura, I have to do this. It's my destiny." He released the bewildered girl and headed to the door of the small cabin. "You will not see me ever again, so please, stay safe and take care of Daidouji."

The young girl tried to run up to her brother but he had shut the door to impede her progress. Sakura fell the floor weeping. She desperately wanted to go with him, but she wanted to follow his wishes.

After an hour of sitting and watching the door, Sakura stood up to go to her room, but was stopped by a knock at the very same door she had been watching. Her curiosity got the best of her so she decided to open it. In the doorway stood a tall blue-haired man that looked to be only seventeen.

"Greetings!" He said with a bright smile. "My name is Hiiragizawa Eriol and I've come here with an offer for you lady Kinomoto Sakura."

"What?" Sakura's eyes were as wide as saucers. "How do you...where did you?"

Eriol's smile widened some more. "I am part reincarnation of a past sorcerer by the name of Clow Reed, as was your father, but you can think of me as the better half seeing as how I'm an expert with the magic that my past self once had. I know of all that has happened and all that will. I'm here to make you the card mistress of the Clow cards that Clow Reed created. In about nine years, with enough training, you will be strong enough to take on the sorcerer that took the lives of all your family."

Sakura's jaw had dropped as she heard the outlandish explanation. "So what you're saying is that I can use magic because my father was part reincarnation of a sorcerer that you are part of?"

The man nodded.

"And you expect me to believe you?"

A devilish sparkle flashed in the man's eyes as he looked at the skeptical girl. "A moment from now, your friend will come in this room and ask who's at the door. You'll reply by saying my name. She'll recall me from somewhere and get furious cause you're talking to some insane person and that you should shut the door at once, and if this happens, I ask you to do as she says and come to me tomorrow at your secret place."

Sakura eyed him suspiciously, but exactly as he said, Tomoyo came into the room asking about the person at the door. Just as Eriol said, after Tomoyo heard the name, she stiffened and told her to shut the door immediately because "that man is insane!" Sakura turned back to the satisfied sorcerer and nodded as she shut the door.

*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*

Sakura's eyes snapped open. "I understand brother." Sakura mumbled as she sat up. "It's my destiny to fight that sorcerer." The image of intense amber eyes flashed through her mind. "But is it my destiny, like Eriol said, to...no, I won't believe it. I will fight him and destroy him once and for all."

With that resolve, Sakura threw opened a window and jumped out, landing softly on the ground. She tip-toed around the cabin, and looked in another window to see Tomoyo still sitting in her chair by the fire reading a book.

"I'm sorry Tomoyo. Forgive me." Sakura stared only a minute longer, then turned and ran further into the forest.

*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*

TBC....

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CousinKitchen: Again I hope that you were able to follow along. Feel free to criticize, all you have to do is review! Ohohohohohohoho (^.^)

PLEASE REVIEW OR ELSE I'LL BE SAD AND WON'T WRITE ANYMORE!


	3. Strange Enchantments

Disclaimer: You know what I do and do not own

CousinKitchen: Well hey! It's the new chapter. I've you've read the other chapters after the first rewrite, you really don't need to go back and read again. The only thing that's changed this time is the fact that I've fixed the time problems.

This chapter is kind of short and I'm sorry about that, but what can you do when you have little time on your hands. Darn college classes! I hope you enjoy this chapter and I tried not to tell you too much, but I bet you can predict how some of this will turn out.

PLEASE R&R or NO MORE STORY!!!!

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The Sorcerer's Assassin

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Chapter Three:

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__

Strange Enchantments

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Syaoran slouched in his thrown as he held his throbbing head. He couldn't understand anything. His eyes searched the room as he heard the large double doors slowly creak open. It took a moment for his eyesight to clear to see the tall elegant woman standing just inside the doors.

She had long, red hair pulled back in a braid that just barely touched the floor. She had pale skin and piercing ice blue eyes. She was very beautiful and slime. She was adorned in a beautiful violet silk kimono with light blue robes. Her clothing was fit enough for an empress.

She walked quickly across the room. The way she moved made her look to be floating. Her eyes stayed trained on the entranced man in the throne. Never once did she bat an eye.

Syaoran felt intensity of his headache grow as the woman came closer. His eyes reflected the pain that he feeling. Every second she grew closer and closer and at the same time his mind became foggier and foggier.

"My dear Emperor." The woman cooed as she reached the throne. "Is your head bothering you?" She lightly touched the young man's cheek, which sent a frightened shiver down his spine.

"Who...who are you?" The sorcerer's mind was yelling at him to back away, to run. He knew her. He couldn't place where he knew her from, but he did. Something about her just seemed off.

"Why...I'm your wife. Don't you know your own wife?" The red haired woman took his head in both hands and forced him to have complete eye contact. "Surely you would never forget your own wife?"

Syaoran shook his head numbly. Everything was getting fuzzy again. His mind was slowly slipping into unconsciousness. For a minute his mind was crying out, wondering what the hell was happening to him.

*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*

Sakura sat meditating by the same moss-covered tree that she always did. Visions clouded her mind. Those of her fighting a shadowed figure that she guessed was the sorcerer, though they had a braid, the fighting style was very much the same. Each time the dark figure crossed her eyes, she tried to catch the face, but it remained in the dark with no hints to who it was. The shadow figure was merciless and was not pulling their punches. The young woman then saw herself, loose her footing, falter, and then get run through by her opponent's sword.

It was then when her form changed from hers to her brothers and then the figure holding the sword turned and faced the figures of her father and mother, blasting them with an intense fire.

She hated seeing such visions, but no matter how hard she wished for them to go away, they always found her in her dreams.

"Why...why did he have to kill my father?" Her jade eyes slowly opened unleashing the tears. She gazed over at the clear lake in a daze. "How could everything go so wrong?"

*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*

"Reincarnation." An angry voiced hissed as the dungeon door flew open.

Eriol's head snapped up as he faced a very angry red-head woman. "You called?"

She gave the dark haired man a withering glare. "What have you been up to? What have you done to the sorcerer?"

Eriol chuckled. "I've done nothing. But as for you? I have no idea of how much damage and deceit you have done."

The tall lithe woman stomped up to the helpless man and slapped him across the face with the back of her hand. "I DEMAND TO KNOW!"

"What's wrong?" The blue-eyed reincarnation chided. "Your powers failing? He is my descendant after all. His powers grow stronger and stronger every day. Sooner or later he'll wake up from the trance that you have put him under and then kill you with no mercy."

The enchantress smirked. "His father couldn't. Why should he be any different?"

"His father was weak. But I can tell that his son is far more stronger. His subconscious wishes for your death. It won't give up until it's satisfied."

The woman laughed and slapped Eriol again, this time she drew blood. "I think you are lying. I will have you killed so you don't interfere any more than you already have..." The woman looked down at her hand to see that some of the sorcerer's blood had gotten on her. She brought her hand to her mouth and licked off the blood, sneering as she did so.

"He won't allow it."  


"You're too smug Hiiragizawa. I'll make him do it."

The sorcerer laughed and looked the enchantress straight in the eyes. "His spirit wants to be freed, and it will have it's freedom. He will not be your puppet forever."

The enchantress's eyes filled with fire as she stared down the sorcerer. "I have made him mine, and mine he will remain. Even when I die and go to hell, so will his soul follow."

The bound sorcerer chuckled. "You overestimate your powers, witch."

The red-haired woman grimaced at the blue-eyed man. She gave him one more slap across the face and then turned to leave. "It's only a matter of time..." She growled. A minute later the cell's door slammed shut leaving Eriol alone in the dark.

*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*

Dream sequence...

"Emperor Li!" A loud voice boomed from a tense field of soldiers ready for battle. "You will not win this battle! Your conquest ends here and now!"

On the opposite side of the battlefield, a man dressed in elaborate armor on a black steed laughed. "That's what all the other Emperors said. I wouldn't be so cocky Fujitaka!"

"Very well." The tall man, also in elaborate armor, on a white armored horse growled. He raised his right arm, sword in hand, and signaled for his army to charge.

Li Ryuren smirked and laughed. He turned his head to face his young son who was by his tent a fair distance away. "Now is the time to see your father in action, my son!"

The little brunette boy nodded. He wore traditional Chinese robs, he was not to join the war, but only there to watch his first battle.

After the Li army charged, it wasn't long till the two sides clashed. Both seemed equally skilled, but the Kinomoto side looked to be fairing better.

Syaoran watched as his father weaved between soldiers, taking down several at a time. He noticed his father stopping to raise his hand, he was going to use magic. But when the fire was unleashed, some invisible barrier protected the enemy soldiers.

Ryuren had a shocked look on his face. It was at this moment that Kinomoto finally approached him. "What's wrong Li? You're black arts not working?"

The stunned Emperor looked down at his hand then back at the other Emperor. "What sorcerery are you using? I did not think you were a magic user Fujitaka."

Fujitaka laughed. "Did you not know? I am part reincarnation of the man from whom you descended, Clow Reed. I have cast a anti-magic barrier upon my army. You can not touch them unless it is by sword."

The Li Emperor started to shake with rage. "YOU LIE!"

"Listen to me Ryuren. If you wish to live, stop this attack and forfeit the countries which you have stolen. With your surrender, I will over look this treachery and things will go back to how they were. Let us be friends again, please..."

Ryuren seemed to hesitate as he looked at his old friend. His hard brown eyes brown eyes softened. He was just about to sheath his sword when he was interrupted by a hand on his.

"Ryuren!" A new voice cooed. It was the new Empress, who was also adorned in elaborate battle armor. Her red hair pulled back into a single braid and her ice-blue eyes flashing dangerously. "Kill him now and end this battle." She hissed.

Ryuren nodded numbly as he looked into her unblinking eyes and raised his bloodied sword. "This ends now Fujitaka." He turned his head to him. The Kinomoto emperor noticed that his old friends eyes had lost their life once more as he came towards him on his horse.

Fujitaka just barely managed to dodge. "Stop Ryuren! Don't listen to her! She is controlling you ! Don't you see?"

Ryuren shook his head. "I do this for her, yes. Cause I love her." His voice was cold. He charged again, getting Fujitaka's horse, causing it to throw off it's rider.

"No you don't! She's making you think you do! Please stop Ryuren!" Fujitaka was having a harder time avoiding Ryuren's blows now that the other man had the advantage. "Or you give me no choice!" Fujitaka raised his hands and ignored the man coming in for another blow.

A bright light filled the field causing all the fighting soldiers to stop. When it faded, both Ryuren and Fujitaka were on the ground with a smirking Empress hovering over them on her horse. "Fools." she hissed under her breath. After a couple of minutes Ryuren stirred and stood up.

"What...happened?" He rubbed his throbbing head as he looked around at the death around him. "What's...going on here?" He stared at all the men in armor that had stopped to look on at him and the other Emperor. His eyes showed that he was lost in confusion. he looked up at the woman on the horse for answers, but she only turned her head away from him and left as she kicked her horse into motion.

Ryuren shook his head and then noticed the prone figure a few feet away. "Fuji...taka?" He tried to move, but his stiff muscles were stubborn. After a while he made it to his friends side. "Fujitaka, what's going on here?"

The weak Emperor opened his eyes. "You...remember now?"

The other man nodded, still unsure of what he meant. "Tell me, what have I done."

Fujitaka grunted as he sat himself up. "You were being controlled...you have killed many...I don't know what else to tell you..."

Ryuren shook his head furiously. "No..." He sobbed in his hands.

The Kinomoto Emperor was surprised to see his friend act in such a matter. "It's okay Ryuren. I forgive you and I'm sure the others will too."

"That's not enough." The Li Emperor turned to face his friend one last time. He gave a weak smile, tear stains streaked his cheeks. "I have disgraced myself and my family name. I do not deserve the air that I breath and my son does not deserve a heartless father like me..."

With one swift movement, Ryuren brought up his sword to his chest, held the hilt with both hands and thrust the sword through his chest. "I die here..." He weakly gasped and fell forward into his friends arms.

"Ryuren..." Tears came to Fujitaka's eyes. "No..."

"FATHER!" The Emperor's head shot up to see a small boy lead by the red-head woman standing just in front of him. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY FATHER?"

Fujitaka shook his head sadly. "I did nothing. It was the woman holding your hand."

The little boy's amber eyes filled with tears. He did not turn to cast judgment on the woman beside him. Instead he continued to look at the Emperor holding his father with pure hatred in his eyes. "LIAR!"

The Kinomoto Emperor bowed his head in silence. "I see, you to are being deceived as well. But I can do nothing for you. This battle is over. Go home Syaoran."

The little boy growled with fury, but listened to the man anyway. Just as he was about to leave he turned around and yelled at the sad Emperor once more. "I will have my revenge Kinomoto! I will avenge my father!"

The Emperor kept his head bowed. "Your anger is misplaced, but I will take it anyway. Now go and take your father with you and give him a proper burial..."

"I will never forgive you..." The boy spat at the sad man and left running. "NEVER!"

*`*`*end dream sequence*`*`*

"What?" Syaoran rubbed his tired eyes. He looked around to find himself lying in his own bed. "What was that dream?"

"My Lord?" A new voice disturbed the tired sorcerer. The amber eyed man looked up to see the redheaded woman sitting on the edge of the bed just to the side of him. "What is wrong? You look troubled..."

"Nothing..." He quickly mumbled, but tried to change the subject when he noticed his "wife's" hurt expression. For some reason the title didn't seem to fit her. "I...just had a bad dream that's all..."  


"Perhaps..." The redhead turned onto her hands and knees as she crawled onto the bed to get on top of Syaoran. "I can relieve you of your bad dream."

The amber-eyed sorcerer tried his best to smile. "I'm already relieved because you're here."

The enchanting woman smiled and began to pry at his nightshirt. "My, whatever did you dream my love."

Syaoran gave a whence at the term of endearment. "I dreamt that I lost you. You were killed at the hands of that pesky descendant of Kinomoto. But," The tired sorcerer stopped the woman's wandering hands and looked her in the eye. "I'm sorry to say that I'm too tired to do that..."

The blue-eyed drew in a surprised breath, when she focused on his eyes. Instead of trying to continue she turned around and folded her arms across he chest and pouted while bowing her head in defeat. "You never want to. You've said that every time I try to get near you. We've been married for years now and we still have yet to..."

She was stopped by a gentle kiss to her forehead. She looked up to see the young sorcerer in front of her. "Another time, I promise."

She didn't believe him at all, but nodded anyway. She got up from the bed and quickly made her way out of the room.

Syaoran stared after her with a dark look on his face. "I see...father."

*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*

The enchantress stopped after she slammed the door to the bedroom. She was furious, nothing was going her way.

"That reincarnation was right...but how can a mere boy block my power?" She stared down at here hands. Her illusion was starting to fade. "His aura grows stronger, he's starting to cancel out all my power. I must do something about him soon."

*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*

The town was dark and ominous, not a soul was out wandering the streets. "_This is his empire?_" Sakura glanced around at the run down homes and shops. "_He really is a terrible man. The sooner I kill him, the sooner they can be free..._"

The young woman's thoughts were soon cut off by the distant sound of hoof beats. Using her Clow cards, she quickly drew upon the shadow card and hid herself in the shadow of a nearby alleyway.

A minute later, a rider with long red hair rode by in a large violet cloak atop a black steed. The woman looked furious and seemed to be in too big of a hurry to notice the moving shadow to the side of the road.

When Sakura was sure that the strange woman was too far off to notice, she recalled the card and ran down the road towards the palace. Something told her that whatever she was there to do, she had to do it before that woman returned.

*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*

"_Shadow_." Syaoran's eyes snapped open. "_That girl, she's here._" The sorcerer quickly got up from his bed and changed into his battle costume and ran down the hall to the stairwell. "_For some reason, I feel that I should pay my dear friend Eriol a visit._"

*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*

TBC...

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CousinKitchen: I hoped you liked it despite the time that it took me to post. May I remind you that my posting times will now be few and far in-between. I can't spend all my time at the computer you know. And don't forget to REVIEW!!!!!!!


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